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by Sound_Off from Southfield

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A recent report out the Washington AP tackles the subject of affirmative action, in light of the success of Sen. Barack Obama in his bid for the U.S. presidency.  According to the article, some say Obama's rise suggests that racial prejudice is a thing of the past.  They argue that if Americans are willing to make him president, there are no barriers left for racial minorities and affirmative action would be obsolete.  Others say that everyday minorities are still subject to discrimination and biases, and that Obama is merely an exception.  For example, they point out that, as affirmative action's power diminishes, minority enrollment has fallen at many prominent colleges and universities.  Click here for more.

Now tell us what you think.  Does Obama's success render affirmative action out-of-date, or is he an exception to what is still the rule of bias in American culture?  Remember to be respectful when you express your opinion.
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Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
Jun 28, 2008 | 10:01 PM

PLAIN AND SIMPLE , OBAMA WORKED FOR WHAT HE WANTED AND CLIMBED THE LADDER FROM A SINGLE PARENT ENVIRONMENT SAME WITH HILLARY CLINTON ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA, SO WHERE DOES AFFIRMATIVE ACTION END ,ENTERING UNIVERSITIES SHOULD BE BASED ON MERIT , WHY SHOULD ANYONE THAT CANT MAKE THE GRADE GET IN OVER SOMEBODY THAT CAN , ALSO WHAT KIND OF A DOCTOR OR OTHER PROFESSIONALS WOULD QUALIFIERS OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION MAKE , SINCE THEY STARTED OUT WITH A LOWER GRADE BUT PUT IN FRONT OF SOMEONE WITH A HIGHER GRADE WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO ABSORB THE KNOWLEDGE TAUGHT TO THEM AND WHO WOULD BE THE BETTER DOCTOR AND WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO BE YOUR FAMILIES HEALTH PROVIDER , NOT ONLY THAT YOUR PUNISHING THE STUDENT THAT WORKED HARD TO GET GOOD GRADES JUST TO BE PUSHED ASIDE TO MAKE WAY FOR SOMEONE THAT MAY HAVE WORKED HARD TO BUT HAD LOWER GRADES , IS THAT FAIR TO THOSE STUDENTS , WHAT WOULD AFFIRMATIVE ACTION SUPPORTERS WOULD SAY TO THAT , MAYBE THOSE PEOPLE THAT RUN DETROIT COULD DO A BETTER JOB OF TEACHING THERE STUDENTS AS OBAMA SAID AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE AND THEN MAYBE THE KID COULD MAKE THE GRADES NEEDED TO GET INTO GOOD COLLEGES SO THE ENTRANCE COULD BE EQUAL AND FAIR FOR ALL

Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
Jun 28, 2008 | 10:04 PM

CORRECTION WAS SUPPOSED TO READ ,, MAYBE THOSE PEOPLE THAT RUN DETROIT SCHOOLS COULD DO A BETTER JOB OF TEACHING

Innocent_Puppet read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 10:08 AM

I agree with some points made by Mikey66 concerning Affirmative Action. But to the question posed in your entry, I don't think that merely electing a half-black president shows that there is no longer a need for the Affirmative Action initiative in some form. It has needed reassessment for many years and now might be a good time to re-visit it and tweak it. In my opinion, just because a person of color can be elected to the presidency in this country doesn't mean there aren't still pockets of resistance to anti-discriminatory hiring policies in this country. As I said, I believe the Affirmative Action system is outdated and needs adjustment even if we hire one more white male for the job of president.

Innocent_Puppet read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 10:10 AM

I agree with some points made by Mikey66 concerning Affirmative Action. But to the question posed in your entry, I don't think that merely electing a half-black president shows that there is no longer a need for the Affirmative Action initiative in some form. It has needed reassessment for many years and now might be a good time to re-visit it and tweak it. In my opinion, just because a person of color can be elected to the presidency in this country doesn't mean there aren't still pockets of resistance to anti-discriminatory hiring policies in this country. As I said, I believe the Affirmative Action system is outdated and needs adjustment even if we hire one more white male for the job of president.

Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 10:42 AM

I P SAID " In my opinion, just because a person of color can be elected to the presidency in this country doesn't mean there aren't still pockets of resistance to anti-discriminatory hiring policies in this country. " SO BESIDES THE FACT THAT QUALIFIERS OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GET AHEAD IN COLLEGE ENTRANCE DO THEY ALSO GET IN FRONT OF THOSE WITH BETTER JOB QUALIFICATIONS TO , THAT SHOULD ALSO BE BASED ON MERIT , EVEN HILLARY CLINTON GREW UP A MODEST HOUSEHOLD AND LOOK WHERE SHE ENDED UP , NEAR TO BEING THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT , AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW SHE MAY END UP BEING V.P IF SHE'S PICKED BY OBAMA TO BE HIS RUNNING MATE WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD SO IF BOTH OBAMA AND CLINTON MADE IT THIS FAR WITH HARD WORK THEN WHY SHOULDN'T ANYONE ELSE BE ABLE TO WORK HARD TO ACHIEVE THERE GOALS , IM SURE IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO CLIMB THAT LADDER BUT WHO SAID IT WAS EASY , AND IM CURIOUS TO WHICH POINTS YOU AGREE AND DISAGREE WITH

Innocent_Puppet read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 11:40 AM

Mikey66: The points I agree with you on are the ones where you state your disagreement with someone being advanced solely because of their race. My opinion is that is totally wrong. But Affirmative Action is a very complex issue which is the reason we continually wrestle with it as Americans. Is it wrong that some people are denied something simply based on their race? Absolutely. But all ethnicities must realize that it cuts both ways. You can't keep someone down, nor lift them up, merely based on race. As I said before, Affirmative Action policy needs revamping so that it upholds the rights of all Americans. I'm not smart enough to know how to change it but people get paid by us to work on these things - Congress.

My point about "pockets of resistance" can be well illustrated by what happened at the Alabama Department of public safety where they refused to promote any black above entry level even after a full 12 years of court orders demanded they did.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions stated in this post are my own. If you disagree with any "facts" I use in support of my points, please research them and decide for yourself.

SEEDUB read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 11:43 AM

We have come a long way from 45 years ago.( not that long ago) Affirmative action does need tweaking. It’s not many/ if any, cases of A person with a low c average beating out a kid with a 4.0, just doesn't work that way. It seems that's exactly what people want to believe. There are a few cases where A lower qualified person may leap frog someone else. But most of the time it's a person that's very qualified for the job that normally wouldn't be given a chance because of color or gender. Affirmative action does need tweaking, but I think it’s premature to get rid of it all together.

Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 12:39 PM

SUB DEED THAT'S EXACTLY HOW IT WORKED , QUALIFIERS OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION WAS AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN A 20 POINT BONUS ON ADMISSIONS ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratz_v._Bollinger
YOUR COMMENT "But most of the time it's a person that's very qualified for the job that normally wouldn't be given a chance because of color or gender"

NOW THAT'S WHERE IT WOULD NEEDS TWEAKING AND I AGREE 110% ON THAT , THERE SHOULD BE STRICTER LAWS AND BIG FINES FOR ANY TYPE OF THE ACTION YOU MENTIONED BECAUSE I DON'T CARE WHAT COLOR A PERSON IS OR IF THE PERSON IS A MAN OR A WOMAN THAT IS MY HEALTH PROVIDER OR LAWYER AS LONG AS HE OR SHE IS QUALIFIED , NOW IF I HAD A MALE HEALTH RELATED PROBLEM I MAY BE A LITTLE SHY TALKING ABOUT IT WITH A WOMAN FOR OBVIOUSLY REASONS NO DIFFERENT IS IT WERE REVERSED SO I WOULDN'T THINK THAT COMMENT WOULD BE SEXIST IN ANY WAY

Alexxi read my blog
Jun 29, 2008 | 1:47 PM

Well we had another bum on the City Council's payroll now the damn common folk are helping screw over the city to.

Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 1:54 PM

ALEXI I DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN

Happyg read my blog
Jun 29, 2008 | 2:28 PM

Innocent,
Rather then posting a generalized statement, please be more specific as to what exactly should be "tweeked". then explain why, and most importantly, considering the fact that two generations of Affirmative action (quotas)have disadvantaged "white" Americans who had never committed any type of crime against African-Americans, when do they get the "equality" that this great nation promises to it's citizens. The disparity in this country isn't about black and white, it's about rich and poor. It always has, and probably always will be.


Innocent_Puppet
I don't think that merely electing a half-black president shows that there is no longer a need for the Affirmative Action initiative in some form.

SEEDUB read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 6:17 PM

Preferences are granted to children of alumni, scholarship athletes, urban/rural factors, and other groups for reasons deemed beneficial to the university. We should let it be fair to everyone. So why not kill all of the preferences that are used by colleges for admissions? 20 points does seem like a hefty boost. But how does that work? Is it a 20% gain for their score?

Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 8:49 PM

SUBDEED DO YOU MEAN THE MOSTLY LEFT LEANING LIBERAL THINKING UNIVERSITIES THAT ARE THE SAME ONES THAT FIGHT FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ARE THE VERY SAME ONES THAT GIVE PREFERENCE TO ALUMNI'S AND ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS ,WOW I DON'T BELIEVE IT (SARCASTIC REMARK), JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE HYPOCRITICAL THINKING OF DEMOCRATS , THEY DON'T WANT US TO HAVE GUNS BUT THE SUPREME COURT SAYS OTHERWISE AND THEY B.I.T.C.H. BUT THEY DON'T WANT IN GOD WE TRUST ON MONEY OR THE 10 COMMANDMENTS ON THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING OR TO ALLOW THE SCHOOL CHILDREN THE RIGHT TO SAY UNDER GOD IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BUT THE SUPREME COURT SAID OTHERWISE BUT EVERY TIME THEY DON'T GET THERE WAY THEY COMPLAIN ,YOU KNOW I NEVER SEEN A MORE CRY BABY GROUP EVER , THEY SEEM TO WANT IT BOTH WAYS ,I CAN SURE SPEAK FOR U OF M , WSU,MSU AND EMU BECAUSE THERE THE ONES THAT B.I.T.C.H. THE MOST AND ARE TOTALLY FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ESPECIALLY U OF M WHO EVEN WENT AS FAR AS LOOKING FOR LOOP HOLES IN THE LAW TO OVERRIDE THE CITIZENS OF MICHIGAN'S DECISION TO BAN THE PRACTICE AND THE ANSWER TO YOU QUESTION OF THE 20% IS RIGHT , ACCORDING TO THE LINK I POSTED 20 OUT OF 100 , 150 POINT SCALE TO RANK APPLICANTS WITH 100 MINIMUM , SO IF I HAD 100 POINTS AND A QUALIFIERS OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GET 80 AND THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY OPENINGS TO FILL I GUESS IM S.O.L

NativeMichiganian read my blog
Jun 30, 2008 | 7:32 AM

I think that discrimination against Senior citizens is more of a problem. People feel that once a person reaches at least 70 years of age they can no longer function as good as a young person.

More senior citizens are being discriminated against than anyone who is black or even half black. Obama had the same opportunities that I had growing up. I too was raised by a Grand Mother and Mother only and I too pushed hard and received my Master's Degree. Only problem was that because of the Affirmative Action I was never able to use my degree's or experience because I was not a minority or of foreign background. No, I do not think Obama did anything spectactular because he received his degrees. Why, because he is half black?

SEEDUB read my blog view my photos
Jun 30, 2008 | 8:27 AM

Only problem was that because of the Affirmative Action I was never able to use my degree's or experience because I was not a minority or of foreign background.

What about Hard work, putting your nose to the grind stone. Are you saying Afferimittive action kept YOU from getting ahead with your degrees!? I think you putting blame on the wrong thing. Why can't you do like anyone else with a degree? Please help me to understand How did A.A. keep you from "useing my degree's or experience" I don't understand.

bye-byeMI read my blog view my photos
Jun 30, 2008 | 10:45 AM

SEEDUB,

Are you serious? OK Even in the Military there's Affirmative Action. Why do you think when you fill out a job applacation they ask you your Ethnic Background? If you're filling out an application why does it matter what color you are? Because of Affirmative Action they put Ethnic Background on applications. I truely hope you're not that blind to see that!

Innocent_Puppet read my blog view my photos
Jun 30, 2008 | 12:52 PM

HappyG wrote: Rather then posting a generalized statement, please be more specific as to what exactly should be "tweeked".

The quota system hasn't worked and never will because it's always going to result in someone getting left out either due to pigment or lack of it. As far as making the system better, if you look at one of my earlier responses you will see I wrote this - "I'm not smart enough to know how to change it but people get paid by us to work on these things" - Congress. Thus far, good ideas on establishing a level playing field regarding educational and occupational opportunities in this country have been few and far between. If a way could be found to make all these decisions truly "color blind" that would be the ultimate in affirmative action initiatives. The aspect of a lower quality educational experience in some of the inner-city public schools, with a high percentage of minority students, would still have to be addressed. This would help to provide all members of our society with the opportunity of acquiring the skills needed to enter our colleges and to make them more equally desirable hiring candidates.

DISCLAIMER: Opinions stated are my own. All "facts" are as I believe them to be but you don't have to take my word. Do your own research.

drerunner read my blog
Jun 30, 2008 | 1:45 PM

I am curious. If some was hired under an affirmative action program ,would he or she know ? I never heard anyone openly ( a minority) saying they were hired due to Affirmative action. Is that a kept secrete?

drerunner read my blog
Jun 30, 2008 | 1:46 PM

secret

bye-byeMI read my blog view my photos
Jun 30, 2008 | 5:47 PM

No that person doesn't now. But depending on how many people applied and who got hired, sometimes you can figure it out.
I'll give you an example and I won't say the agency. When I support Michigan and Ohio on Bomb Squad support there was an agency that was and told to hire a minority Bomb Squad Tech. So they put out the announcement and when that perfect canidate applied, they got the job. Now with no experience at all competing with people that have some experience, does that seem fair?

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